Bruce Springsteen has kicked off his politically charged ‘Land of Hope and Dreams’ US tour, and the Boss has shared two new videos from the run so far.
The first video features the full-band live debut of Springsteen’s new protest song, “Streets of Minneapolis”, which was inspired by recent immigration crackdowns and the tragic incidents in the city.
“This past winter, federal troops brought death and terror to the streets of Minneapolis,” Springsteen said. “Well, they picked the wrong town. The power of solidarity, of the people of Minneapolis, was an inspiration to the entire country. Your strength and your commitment told us this is still America, and this will not stand. Minnesota, you gave us hope. You gave us courage.”
In addition to the protest anthem, Springsteen paid tribute to Minneapolis by covering Prince’s classic “Purple Rain”
The videos comes only days after the American Federation of Musicians defended Springsteen after he was targeted by US President Donald Trump on social media.
After blasting the President on the opening night of his tour, Trump took to his Truth Social platform last week to label The Boss as a “bad, and very boring singer,” among other insults, and urged his followers to boycott the music icon’s tour.
In a joint statement, Dan Point, president of the AFM’s Local 802 in Manhattan, and Marc Sazer, president of Local 47 in Los Angeles, defended Springsteen’s right to free speech.
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“We can not remain silent as one of our most celebrated members is singled out and personally attacked by the President of the United States,” Point and Sazer said.
“Bruce Springsteen is not just a brilliant musician, he is a voice for working people, a symbol of American resilience, and an inspiration to millions in this country and around the world.
“From Nebraska to Born to Run, his music has spoken truth to power for decades, and that is exactly what he is doing now. Musicians have the right to freedom of expression, and we stand in complete solidarity with Bruce and every member who uses their platform to speak their conscience.”
In a recent interview, Springsteen promised the tour was going to be political, saying: “I don’t know of another time when the country has been as critically challenged and our basic ideas and values as critically challenged as they are right now. I’d have to go back to 1968 when I was 18 years old to another moment when it felt like the country was so on edge and like it felt there was simply so much at stake as far as who we are and the country we want to be and the people we want to be. It’s a critical, critical moment.”
